


Wisdom is a Butterfly and Not a Gloomy Bird of Prey

by Snow



Category: Firefly
Genre: Discussion of Cannibalism, Female Characters, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-16
Updated: 2011-08-16
Packaged: 2017-10-22 16:20:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 581
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/240025
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snow/pseuds/Snow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: River Tam and The Juniper Tree fairy tale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wisdom is a Butterfly and Not a Gloomy Bird of Prey

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Ailelie](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ailelie/gifts).



> Written as comment-fic and unbetaed.

River is sitting at the table in the kitchen. Kaylee stands behind her, brushing River's hair with patience and care that is lost on River. "You should know what human meat tastes like," River says.

Kaylee freezes, drawing back a little. "Don't say such things, River, sweetie," she says.

"It's important that you know. So you can recognize it."

"No one's going to try to feed me human meat, River. The Reavers eat it, sure, but they're not like people. No one else does, not ever. It's gross."

River shakes her head, pulling her hair free from where it's draped over the back of the chair. "My stepmother will feed it to you and you won't know that it's me so you'll praise how good it is."

Simon's footsteps sound on the floor as he enters, alerted by whatever older brother instinct it is that he has. "Mei-mei, we don't have a stepmother. And we would notice if you were missing."

"Do you promise?" River asks. "They'll tell you I've gone to my mother's great-uncle and you'll be hurt I didn't say goodbye."

"I promise. I wouldn't be angry and I'd find you. And we wouldn't eat you," Simon says firmly. Kaylee wonders briefly at how he's almost always able to get straight to the heart of whatever River is worrying about. He'd be so much more socially comfortable if he could learn to extend that ability to other people.

"Besides, there's no meat on the ship," Kaylee says, trying for cheerful and reassuring. "We'd definitely notice that something was wrong well before we'd eat you." She thinks that came out disturbing, alas.

"It's funny," River says, but she still sounds panicked rather than amused. "With people the older one's better. He or she is the default heir. Usually he."

"That's mostly an outdated practice, River," Simon says.

"Maybe on the Core it is," Kaylee says. "Where there's enough money for everyone. My oldest brother was always going to get my father's shop, and it would barely be enough to support him and then his family. It's why I left. That and the whole appeal of space."

River nods at Kaylee. "But with technology, newer is better."

"No it ain't!" Kaylee says. "New's got no character, most of the time."

"Yes it does," River says. "That's a false conception. You have the chance to sculpt the character of it."

Kaylee makes a face, but she doesn't argue it any further.

"So if Simon is the person, and older, and I'm the technology, and younger, then which one's better?"

"River, sweetie, no one's _better_ ," Kaylee says.

"Then how do you decide who should inherit?" River asks.

"What is there to inherit?" Simon says.

River frowns at that. "They never solve the problem. I think the son gets everything in the end, and the girl is scared and she loses her mother. She doesn't even ever find out she didn't do it. But the boy forgives her. Would you forgive me, Simon? When I replace you?"

"You're not going to replace me," Simon says. "We're a team."

"And you're not going to eat me," River says, and it sounds like a reminder.

"Right. Not going to eat you."

Kaylee's a little worried that it might be some kind of prediction of what's going to happen, but River usually can't be reassured when she's feeling one of those, just quieted.

River smiles at Simon as she softly punches his upper arm. "You better not."

**Author's Note:**

> As always, comments (including constructive criticism) are welcome and will be loved.


End file.
